Improvement in torpedoes for oil-wells



H. H. THOMAS.

' Torpedo f0r 0il Wells.

Patented May 25, 1869.

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Letters-Patent No. 90,408, dated May 25, 1869.

INIPRO'VEMENT IN TORPED OES FOR PHI-WELLS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

'which form a part of this specification.

In operating torpedoes in artesian wells, two general methods of ignition are in use, and may be said to cover nearly all the devicesheretotbre patented or used. One is by dropping a weight from the top of the well upon a percussion-cap ,or cartridge, placed upon the upper end of the shell; the other is by means of one or several friction-primers, placed within the shell, and ignited by means of a wire extending from said primers to the top of the well. b

Each of these general methods has its advantages and objections. The weight is preferable to the friction-wire, as being simpler, cheaper, and less liable to premature explosion by the catching of the shell upon any loose bits of rock, or by the entanglement of the wire and lowering-cable; while the friction-primers, placed within the shell, afford a much more efiicient means of igniting the powder than the single percussion-cap, which must necessarily be upon the upper end thereof.

The object of my invention is to so arrange the several parts as to combine the most useful features of both methods-the falling weight and the frictionprimers within the shell-the whole arrangement beingsimple, cheaply made, and easily and safely operated.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved torr Figure 2 is a top view of the same; and

Figure 3, a. horizontal section on line A B.

11 represents the cylindrical shell, made preferably of cast-metal, closed at the lower end by a screw-plug,

b, and at the upper end by a cap, 0.

A lug, 11,.is cast upon or near the centre of said cap, to which arope, or wire cable, e, is attached, for lowering the torpedo into the well.

A hole is drilled through the cap 0, into which is inserted a short tube, f, projecting a short distance above and below the cap, as shown.

Within the shell, I fix a vertical rod, g, through which several holes are drilled, of suitable size to receiveand hold firmly the friction-primers h It. 7

I also provide and insert a movable rod, t', theupper end thereof being placed within the tube f, and

the rod extending downward and parallel with the fixed rod 9.

To this rod c', I secure the ends of the explodingwires of each of the primers h h, in such manner that they may be exploded by a blow upon the upper end of the movable rod '6.

In this condition-the shell may be loaded and taken to the well.

I then provide and insert, through or within the tube f, a plunger, 7:, of the form shown, resting upon the upper end of the rod i, projecting a short distance above the tube, and bent so as to embrace the cable c. A piece of rubber tube may be wrapped around the tube f and plunger is, as shown in dotted lines, to exclude water from the shell.

When thus prepared, the cable c is attached, the shell lowered to the proper depth in the well, and an annular weight, I, of the form shown is slipped over the cable 0, and dropped from the top of the well upon the head of the plunger k, which, resting upon the rod i, transmits the blow to it and to the explodingwires of the primers.

.By this arrangement, any desired number of primers may be distributed throughout the length of the shell, and'exploded simultaneously by a single weight.

The short tube f serves to hold the rod 41 and plunger k in place, and as a convenient means for the attachment of.the rubber tube-packing. The head of the plunger 70 may be made to embrace the cable, as shown, or arranged in any convenient way, so that it .shall be struck by the descending weight.

I am aware of the existence of a patent issued Novembcr 15, 1864, to J. F. Glens, in which a roughened wire is shown, embedded in powder, within a perforated metal case, but I distinctly disclaim such an arrangement.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The plunger It, fixed and movable rods g and *6,

primers h h, and weight 1, arranged to operate sub-- stant-ially in the manner and for the purposes set forth HENRY H. THOMAS. Witnesses:

A. B. HOWLAND,

HENRY BALDWIN. 

